24 February 2008

Yes, Catholic! And One, and Holy, and Apostolic... These terms are called the 'Four Marks of the Church' and there's a pretty good explanation of their meaning and use on Wikipedia.

Almost all Christians use the Apostles Creed, and most use the Nicene Creed, and in each of these the term 'catholic' is used to describe the church. In these contexts, catholic is taken to mean 'universal', as it does in the original Greek. By universal, we mean that God's grace through Jesus Christ is available to everyone, everywhere at all times and in all places.

As Bill Cain, SJ pointed out once at a meeting at the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, there's a innate contradiction in the idea of a "Roman Catholic" church. Can you be universal and yet require obedience to the Bishop of Rome? Most Anglicans, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants would answer 'no'. As Ed Condry, canon treasurer of Canterbury Cathedral, pointed out during a recent session of the Canterbury Scholars, Anglicans have always considered our branch of the universal church a temporary approximation of the unity that we will find in the ultimate kingdom of God that awaits us at the end of time. We don't claim exclusive rights to the salvation of Christ Jesus. Rather, we claim that that salvation is Christ's gift to all humanity.

And in the Episcopal Church, we practice our catholicity every Sunday. In the Episcopal Church all baptized Christians are invited to partake of the Eucharist. Our baptism makes us Christians, and Christianity, as we understand it, is catholic by definition. And every Christian of every stripe is welcome at God's table.

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The Rev. Mark R. Collins

I'm a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. This blog a place for my sermons and other material to reside while I was in seminary. Now you can find my sermons, instructional photo essays and other musings at: http://fathermarkcollins.blogspot.com.

The ABC & me

The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Rowan D. Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England, and, ummmm, me...

The PB & me

The Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, Primate and Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and, err, me...

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A Collect For Our Armed Forces

God of Power and Might,stretch forth your strong arm to fortify and protect our armed forces in harm’s way around the world.

Watch over and defend them, and all who guard life and liberty.

Grant that, by meeting danger with courage and by meeting all occasions with discipline and loyalty, they may truly serve the cause of justice.

Preserve their lives, O Lord, during their time of service, and bring them home to their families and communities; swiftly, safely, and soundly.

Just and gracious God, we entreat you to remove the circumstances and causes of this and every war, and to establish your peace on this earth, among all the nations -- and in every human heart.

These things we ask in the name of the Prince of Peace: Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

A Blessing

Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and may God's blessing be with you always. Amen.
(attributed to St. Clare)